Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Cold Act Ill with Classixx

Classixx are a couple of remix ninjas from LA that are blowing up just about every spot there is to blow up lately. Case in point: their remix of YACHT's "Psychic City" was included on the "How To Make It In America" soundtrack and is now exponentially more popular than the original track. Remixes for Phoenix, Major Lazer, Mayer Hawthorne and others followed, each rivaling if not outshining its source material. All in all it's pretty incredible - with exactly 3 original songs to their name, Classixx are everywhere.

What makes a Classixx remix so amazing is that they don't adopt the style of the song at all, they bring that song into their world. So while other DJs are content rearranging a band's furniture, they're in the backyard torching the whole damn house. Their older tracks (like "Cold Act Ill" above) owe a lot to French house in general and Justice in particular, but their more recent remixes have located a mellow vibe all their own. It's a style I can only describe as California 80s noir - like driving down the coast at night, palm trees and the Pacific hanging in the air. Quickly becoming "the Classixx sound", it's like drugs for your ears, man.

Below are 10 tracks for your listening enjoyment - be sure to wait for the Major Lazer glass bottom dub, one of the sexiest joints you'll ever hear and one of my top remixes of all time.